Media Release

1 July 2003

Immigration Panic Move Fails To Address Problems

New Zealand First has described the Government’s new immigration policy as floundering around in the dark with a system that allows far too many immigrants into the country.

Rt Hon Winston Peters accused the Minister of being too scared to face questions in Parliament today on the issue because the new policy showed up the Government’s total failure over immigration.

“The policy should have been released for discussion two weeks ago instead of being dumped late in the afternoon, on the eve of urgency, which means no questions can be asked for three weeks.

“The Government is only tinkering with the system. Although the Minister says she is ending the ‘professional-driving-taxi’ scenario, she is in fact, reinforcing the ‘kebab- manufacturing scenario.

“The new policy also repeats a lie. How can the Minister say that up to 50,000 immigrants can come here per year when over 72,000 arrived in the year ending April 2003. She simply cannot add up!

“Nothing has been done to stop the flood of people coming here. In fact, the Government has increased New Zealand’s humanitarian quota of refugees from 750 to 4,000 without consultation.

“We’ve gone from passive acceptance of any Tom, Dick, Ying Tong or Osama to now actively recruiting their relations. What sort of nonsense is this?

“As for bonus points for those getting out of Auckland, the roads are so clogged they’ll never make it,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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